Item 1. Business
Overview
Insulet Corporation (“we” or the “Company”) is primarily engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of its proprietary Omnipod® System, a continuous insulin delivery system for people with insulin-dependent diabetes, which we have been selling since 2005. The Omnipod System includes: the Omnipod Insulin Management System (“Classic Omnipod”), the Omnipod DASH® Insulin Management System (“Omnipod DASH”), and the Omnipod® 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System (“Omnipod 5”). In addition, substantially all of our Drug Delivery revenue consists of sales of pods to Amgen for use in the Neulasta® Onpro® kit, a delivery system for Amgen’s Neulasta to help reduce the risk of infection after intense chemotherapy.
Market Opportunity: Management of Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening disease for which there is no known cure. It is caused by the body’s inability to produce or effectively utilize the hormone insulin, which prevents the body from adequately regulating blood glucose levels. Glucose, the primary source of energy for cells, must be maintained at certain concentrations in the blood in order to permit optimal cell function and health. In people with diabetes, blood glucose levels fluctuate between very high levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia, and very low levels, a condition called hypoglycemia. Hyperglycemia can lead to serious short-term complications, such as confusion, vomiting, dehydration, and loss of consciousness and long-term complications, such as blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, occlusive vascular diseases, stroke, cardiovascular disease, or death. Hypoglycemia can lead to confusion, loss of consciousness, or death.
Diabetes is typically classified as either type 1 or type 2:
•Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the body’s nearly complete inability to produce insulin. It is frequently diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. Individuals with type 1 diabetes require daily insulin therapy to survive. We estimate that approximately five million people have type 1 diabetes in the countries we currently serve.
•Type 2 diabetes, the more common form, is characterized by the body’s inability to either properly utilize insulin or produce enough insulin. Historically, type 2 diabetes has occurred in later adulthood, but its incidence is increasing among the younger population, due primarily to increasing obesity. Initially, many people with type 2 diabetes attempt to manage their diabetes with improvements in diet, exercise, and/or oral medications. As their diabetes advances, some individuals progress to multiple drug therapies, which often include insulin therapy. We estimate that approximately six million people have insulin-intensive type 2 diabetes in the countries we currently serve.
We estimate that approximately 40% of the type 1 diabetes population in the United States and even less of the international type 1 diabetes population use insulin pump therapy. An even smaller portion of the U.S. and international insulin-intensive type 2 diabetes population use insulin pump therapy. We believe these factors present a significant available market for the Omnipod System globally.
Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we refer to both type 1 diabetes and insulin-intensive type 2 diabetes as insulin-dependent diabetes.
Diabetes Management Challenges
Diabetes is often frustrating and difficult for people to manage. Blood glucose levels can be affected by the carbohydrate and fat content of meals, exercise, stress, illness, impending illness, hormonal releases, variability in insulin absorption, and changes in the effects of insulin on the body. For people with insulin-dependent diabetes, many corrections, consisting of the administration of additional insulin or ingestion of additional carbohydrates, are needed throughout the day in order to maintain blood glucose levels within normal ranges. Achieving this result can be very difficult with multiple daily injections of insulin. Individuals with diabetes attempting to control their blood glucose levels tightly to prevent the long-term complications associated with fluctuations in blood glucose levels are at greater risk for overcorrection and hypoglycemia. As a result, many people have difficulty managing their diabetes. Additionally, the time spent managing fluctuations in blood glucose levels and the fear associated with hypoglycemia can be incredibly stressful for individuals with diabetes and their families.
Current Insulin Therapy
People with insulin-dependent diabetes need a continuous supply of insulin, known as basal insulin, to provide for background metabolic needs. In addition to basal insulin, people with insulin-dependent diabetes require supplemental insulin, known as bolus insulin, to compensate for carbohydrates ingested during meals or snacks or for a high blood glucose level caused by other physiological reasons. There are two primary types of insulin therapy practiced today: multiple daily injections (“MDI”) therapy using syringes or insulin pens and pump therapy using insulin pumps.
MDI therapy involves the administration of fast-acting insulin before meals (bolus) to lower blood glucose levels to a healthy range. MDI therapy may also require a separate injection of a long-acting (basal) insulin, to control glucose levels between meals; typically, once or twice per day. By comparison, insulin pump therapy uses only fast-acting insulin to fulfill both mealtime (bolus) and background (basal) requirements. Insulin pump therapy allows individuals to customize their bolus and basal insulin doses to meet their insulin needs throughout the day and is intended to more closely resemble the physiologic function of a healthy pancreas.
Insulin pumps perform continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and typically use a programmable device and an infusion set to administer insulin into the body. Insulin pump therapy has been shown to provide numerous advantages relative to MDI therapy. For example, insulin pump therapy eliminates individual insulin injections, delivers insulin more accurately and precisely than injections, often improves HbA1c (a common measure of blood glucose levels) over time, provides greater flexibility with meals, exercise, and daily schedules, and can reduce severe low blood glucose levels. We believe that these advantages, along with technological advancements, including the use of continuous glucose monitoring technology and automated insulin device (“AID”) algorithms, and increased awareness of insulin pump therapy will continue to generate demand for insulin pump devices.
Our Solution: The Omnipod System
The Omnipod System is a continuous insulin delivery system that provides all the benefits of insulin pump therapy in a unique way. We believe the Omnipod System’s innovative proprietary design and differentiated features allow people with insulin-dependent diabetes to live their lives and manage their diabetes, with unprecedented freedom, comfort, convenience, and ease.
The Omnipod System features two discreet and easy-to-use devices that eliminates the need for the external tubing required with conventional pumps:
•a small, lightweight, self-adhesive disposable tubeless Omnipod device (“Pod”) that the user fills with insulin and wears directly on the body. It can be worn in multiple locations, including the abdomen, hip, back of upper arm, upper thigh, or lower back. The Pod delivers insulin into the body through a small flexible tube (called a cannula); and
•the Personal Diabetes Manager (“PDM”) or Controller, a wireless, handheld device that programs the Pod with the user’s personalized insulin-delivery instructions and wirelessly monitors the Pod’s operation.
Additionally, Omnipod 5 is interoperable with a third-party continuous glucose monitor (“CGM”) sold separately that obtains glucose values and integrates with the Pod.
Further, we have partnered with Glooko Inc. (“Glooko”) to connect our Omnipod System user data with Glooko’s comprehensive diabetes data management system (including Glooko and Diasend in selected regions). Glooko provides a cloud-based application for clinicians and users accessible through a kiosk, home computer, or a mobile application on the user’s smartphone that provides users and their healthcare providers access to insulin delivery trends, blood glucose levels, and other integrated data.
Omnipod DASH
Omnipod DASH was fully launched in the United States in 2019 and in our international markets starting in 2020. It features a secure Bluetooth enabled Pod and PDM with a color touch screen user interface supported by smartphone connectivity. In the U.S., the PDM has nightly automatic data uploads providing users and their clinicians with cloud access to data, and enhancements for pushing software updates wirelessly to users.
Omnipod DASH provides continuous insulin delivery at preset rates, eliminating the need for individual insulin injections. In addition, insulin delivery can be changed with the press of a button to adapt to snacks or unexpected changes in daily routine.
Omnipod DASH delivers insulin in two ways:
•A small, constant background supply of insulin is delivered automatically at a programmed rate, all day and night.
•An extra dose of insulin can be delivered when needed to match the carbohydrates in a snack or meal to correct high blood glucose.
We have designed Omnipod DASH to fit within the normal daily routines of users. Omnipod DASH communicates wirelessly, provides for virtually pain-free automated cannula insertion, and eliminates the need for MDI therapy or the use of pump and tubing. The Pod can be worn for up to three days at a time and, because it is waterproof up to 25 feet, there is no need to remove it when showering, swimming, or performing other activities. As a result, Omnipod DASH is easy to use, which reduces the training burden on healthcare professionals and users. We believe that Omnipod DASH’s overall ease of use and flexibility make it very attractive to people with insulin-dependent diabetes and their healthcare professionals.
Omnipod 5
Omnipod 5, which builds on our Omnipod DASH platform, was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) in January 2022. Our limited market release of Omnipod 5 in the United States commenced the following month, and in August 2022 we launched our U.S. full market release. In September 2022, we received CE Mark approval for Omnipod 5 under the European Union Medical Device Regulation (“MDR”).
Omnipod 5 includes an AID algorithm that is located on the Pod. The Pod integrates with a third-party CGM to obtain glucose values trough wireless Bluetooth communication. The embedded algorithm predicts glucose levels into the future and automatically adjusts insulin dosing intended to achieve user selected glucose targets and reduce the occurrence of blood glucose highs and lows. The user can also deliver insulin doses for snacks or meals or to correct high blood glucose through the system. The Pod is controllable by an Insulet-provided handheld device (Controller) or a user-downloaded Android app, which allows for full compatible smartphone control. The Omnipod 5 Controller and Omnipod 5 Android app use cloud-based technology to wirelessly upload data using a built-in SIM card for cellular connectivity or from a secure Wi-Fi connection if established. The Pod currently integrates with a CGM manufactured by Dexcom, Inc.
Subsequent to the launch of Omnipod 5, the vast majority of our customer base is no longer using our Classic Omnipod product. We plan to phase-out our Classic Omnipod product in the U.S. in 2023.
Security
Paramount to our ability to deliver full compatible smartphone control is our commitment to cybersecurity and information security. Omnipod DASH is the first FDA-cleared insulin pump certified under the Diabetes Technology Society’s “Standard for Wireless Diabetes Device Security” cybersecurity assurance standard and program, known as DTSec. This certification is a cybersecurity standard intended to raise confidence in the security of network connected medical devices through independent expert evaluation. In addition, Insulet’s information security management system is International Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) 27001 and 27701 certified, which are the international standard for best practice in an information security management system globally. With the DTSec and ISO certifications, Insulet is globally recognized for incorporating the highest standards for cybersecurity and information security and safety, including secure data transfer between the Pod and PDM, as well as secure cloud storage.
Insulet continues to advance the cybersecurity capabilities of our medical devices. Omnipod 5 is globally recognized for incorporating the highest standards for information and cyber security by design, which includes secure data transfer between the Pod and the Controller, as well as secure cloud storage. Omnipod 5 is certified by ISO 27001 and the U.K. Cyber Essentials. In addition, Omnipod 5 utilizes state-of-the-art authentication, encryption, and cybersecurity protection that enables the use of approved personal smartphone devices.
Third-Party Reimbursement
In the United States, our products are sold to wholesalers, private healthcare organizations, healthcare facilities, mail order pharmacies, and independent retailers, as well as directly to consumers. These entities, and the Company in some cases, seek reimbursement from health insurance companies and/or government administrative payors. In the United States, consumers generally have commercial insurance, Medicare or Medicaid coverage that pays for the product. The Omnipod System’s unique patented design allows us to provide pump therapy at a relatively low or no up-front investment, which reduces the risk to third-party payors in the U.S. In certain international locations in which we sell through a distributor or intermediary, our distribution partners and local intermediaries establish appropriate reimbursement contracts with healthcare systems in those countries and provinces.
Markets and Distribution Methods
The Omnipod System is currently available in the following 24 countries:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Australia | Finland | Italy | Sweden |
Austria | France | Kuwait | Switzerland |
Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Turkey |
Canada | Greece | Norway | United Arab Emirates |
Croatia | Iceland | Qatar | United Kingdom |
Denmark | Israel | Saudi Arabia | United States |
We sell the Omnipod System directly to consumers, through distribution partners and in the U.S. also through the pharmacy channel. For the year ended December 31, 2022, 84% of our Omnipod System sales were through intermediaries. The Omnipod System is also marketed to physicians.
The percentages of total revenue for customers that represent 10% or more of total revenue was as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Years Ended December 31, |
| 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 |
Distributor A | 19% | | * | | * |
Distributor B | 17% | | 12% | | 10% |
Distributor C | * | | 10% | | 11% |
Distributor D | 16% | | * | | * |
* Represents less than 10% of revenue for the period.
Our sales and marketing efforts are focused on customer acquisition and retention to meet the user, clinician, and payor demands for the Omnipod System. We have a comprehensive sales and marketing approach, which communicates the benefits of the Omnipod System to users, physicians and providers. This includes three areas of focus:
•Building consumer awareness about the features and benefits that the Omnipod System provides to simplify diabetes management.
•Strengthening physician support by demonstrating clinical evidence of how the Omnipod System improves outcomes and quality of life and providing data and insights to physicians offering diabetes care.
•Providing payors with the clinical and economic justifications for why the Omnipod System offers unique value to the people whom they insure.
Training
We believe that training consumers on how to use the Omnipod System is an important factor to promote successful outcomes and customer retention. We have streamlined and standardized our training by developing improved online resources and increased our field clinician team to directly train new Omnipod System users. We created an online training program for Omnipod customers transitioning to Omnipod DASH or Omnipod 5. In addition, our virtual training allows us to onboard new Omnipod customers transitioning from MDI in a cost-effective manner. Our distributors and intermediaries have also implemented virtual training programs.
Customer Support
We seek to provide our customers with high quality customer support, from product ordering to insurance investigation, order fulfillment and ongoing support. Our customer support systems are integrated with our sales, reimbursement and billing processes, allowing us to provide customers with seamless and reliable support by telephone and through our website.
Competition
The diabetes medical device market is highly competitive, subject to rapid change and significantly affected by new product introductions. The Omnipod System competes for consumers in the insulin delivery market. Because most new Omnipod System users come from MDI therapy, which currently is the most prevalent method of insulin delivery, we believe that we primarily compete with companies that provide products and supplies for MDI therapy. We also compete with companies in the insulin pump market, which today consists of tubed pump companies, including Medtronic MiniMed, a division of Medtronic public limited company (“Medtronic”), and Tandem Diabetes Care Inc. (“Tandem”). Medtronic historically has held the
majority share of the tubed insulin pump market. The competitive landscape in our industry continues to undergo significant change. In addition to the established insulin pump competitors, several companies are working to develop and market new insulin pumps and smart pens. These companies are at various stages of development and the number of such companies often changes as they enter or exit the market. Our non-insulin Drug Delivery product line competes with drug delivery device companies such as West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Research and Development
Our innovation programs are designed to drive:
•simplicity of user interaction with our systems;
•improved outcomes through algorithm advancements;
•insights and value from our growing datasets and analytics; and
•user choice of sensor and smartphone integrations.
In addition, our research and development efforts are primarily focused on making improvements to the Omnipod System, including adding features and functionality that will deliver increased economic value and convenience to users. In 2022, we received FDA clearance for Omnipod 5 for individuals aged two years and older with type 1 diabetes and received CE Mark approval for Omnipod 5 under the European Union MDR. We plan to begin a pivotal trial for Omnipod 5 in 2023 with the goal of expanding Omnipod 5’s indications to individuals with type 2 diabetes. In addition, we have a development and commercialization agreement to integrate Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc.’s CGM with Omnipod 5 in the future and are also working on developing an iOS app that could be utilized to control Omnipod 5 Pods.
Additionally, in November 2022, we submitted our 510(k) application to the FDA for a basal-only Pod for individuals with type 2 diabetes, which is a version of Omnipod specifically designed for customers on basal-only therapy. The basal-only Pod is designed to deliver a fixed rate of rapid-acting insulin for 72 continuous hours and does not require a PDM/Controller or phone application for use.
Manufacturing and Quality Assurance
We believe a key contributing factor to the overall attractiveness and success of the Omnipod System is the disposable nature of the Pod. In order to manufacture sufficient volumes at high quality and achieve a cost-effective per unit production price for the Omnipod, we have designed the Omnipod System to be manufactured through automation.
In 2019, we began producing product at our highly automated manufacturing facility in Acton, Massachusetts and in 2020 and 2021, we began producing on additional lines in this facility. The Acton facility increases supply redundancy and adds capacity closer to our North American customer base to support the growth of our business.
We also produce our devices on manufacturing lines at a facility in Kunshan (Shanghai), China operated by a contract manufacturer. This contract manufacturing agreement expires in October 2025 and is subject to automatic renewal, unless canceled by either party under the terms of the contract. We have optimized our operations in China by consolidating our Omnipod production in that region into this one location. Additionally, in 2022, we broke ground on a new manufacturing plant in Malaysia to support our international expansion strategy and further ensure product supply.
We also continue to invest in supply chain efficiencies, including automation improvements at our suppliers and contract manufacturer. In January 2022, we acquired one of our suppliers to bring key intellectual property and expertise in-house, strengthen our production capabilities and mitigate supply chain risks.
Raw Materials
We use a broad range of raw materials in the assembly and manufacturing of the Omnipod System. We purchase our raw materials and select components used in the manufacturing of our products from external suppliers. We purchase some supplies from a single or limited number of sources for reasons of proprietary know-how, quality assurance, cost-effectiveness, or constraints resulting from regulatory requirements. We rely on a limited number of suppliers for a certain number of the components and sub-assemblies used in the manufacture of the Omnipod System, including application-specific integrated circuit chips, Bluetooth low-energy chips, and other specialized parts. The design of certain components and sub-assemblies (including, in some instances, the raw materials used to manufacture them) is proprietary and the intellectual property rights may be owned exclusively by one party. In such cases, we are sole sourced with the supplier controlling the intellectual property rights. These sole sourced components are critical to the design and functionality of the Omnipod System. In the case of sole sourced parts, we manage risk through holding inventory in-house and at the supplier to ensure continuity of supply and lower risk of disruption. We purchase many of our components and sub-assemblies from manufacturers with whom we are at
least dual sourced. We work closely with all suppliers to ensure continuity of supply while maintaining high quality and reliability.
Quality Assurance
We utilize outside vendors for the supply of components, sub-assemblies, and various services used in the manufacture of the Omnipod System. Our outside vendors produce the components to our specifications, and they are audited periodically by our Quality Assurance Department to confirm conformity with the specifications, policies, and procedures for the Omnipod System. Our Quality Assurance Department also inspects and tests the Omnipod System at various steps in the manufacturing cycle to facilitate compliance with our specifications. We have received our ISO, European Union MDR, and Medical Device Single Audit Program certifications for our Quality Management System from BSI Group, an accredited Notified Body for CE Marking. Processes utilized in the manufacture, test, and release of the Omnipod System have been verified and validated as required by the FDA and other regulatory bodies. As a medical device manufacturer and distributor, our manufacturing facilities and the facilities of our suppliers are subject to periodic inspection by the FDA, certain corresponding state agencies, and other regulatory bodies.
Intellectual Property
To maintain a competitive advantage, we believe we must develop and preserve the proprietary aspect of our technologies. We rely on a combination of copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws, non-disclosure agreements, and other measures to protect our proprietary rights. We require our employees, consultants, and advisers to execute non-disclosure agreements in connection with their employment, consulting, or advisory relationships with us, where appropriate. We also require employees, consultants, and advisers who work on our products to agree to disclose and assign to us all inventions conceived during their work with us that are developed using our property or relate to our business. Despite measures taken to protect our intellectual property, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of the Omnipod System or obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary.
Patents
As of December 31, 2022, we had over 260 patents in the United States and in certain other countries, with expiration dates ranging from 2023 through 2042 and had over 250 patent applications pending. The issued patents and pending patent applications cover, among other things:
•the basic architecture of the Omnipod System, including the pump and the PDM/Controller;
•the Omnipod drive system;
•the Omnipod cannula insertion system;
•control features of the Omnipod System and next generation products;
•software, such as algorithms and apps, for controlling the Omnipod System and next generation products; and
•various novel aspects of the Omnipod System, potential future generations of Omnipod Systems, and other mechanisms for the delivery of pharmaceuticals.
Trademarks
We have registered various trademarks associated with our business with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the Principal Register and in other appropriate jurisdictions. Our trademarks include INSULETTM, OMNIPOD®, OMNIPOD® 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System, SIMPLIFY LIFETM, Omnipod DASH®, Omnipod DISPLAY®, Omnipod VIEWTM, SmartAdjustTM, Pod Pals®, Podder®, and PodderCentral®.
Recent Intellectual Property Agreements
Bigfoot. In February 2023, we entered into a Patent Assignment and License Agreement with Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc. (“Bigfoot”), pursuant to which we acquired approximately 400 patents as well as a significant number of global patent applications, and licensed a large number of additional patents and patent applications on a fully paid-up exclusive or non-exclusive basis.
Medtronic. In October 2022, we entered into a mutual agreement with Medtronic, Inc., not to assert our patents against each other for certain technologies in the field of diabetes. With certain exclusions, this agreement applies to the companies’ existing products, as well as new products for at least the next seven years. No payments have been or will be exchanged as part of the agreement. The agreement replaces and terminates the Settlement and Cross License Agreement, dated September 18, 2013, by and between us and Medtronic.
Government Regulation
United States FDA Regulation
The Omnipod System is a medical device subject to extensive and ongoing regulation by the FDA and other federal, state, and local regulatory bodies. FDA regulations govern, among other things, product design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, pre-market clearance or approval, manufacturing, labeling, product storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, post-market adverse event reporting, post-market surveillance, complaint handling, repair or recall of products, and record keeping.
Unless an exemption applies, each medical device we seek to commercially distribute in the United States will require either prior 510(k) clearance or pre-market approval (“PMA”) from the FDA. Both the 510(k) clearance and PMA processes can be expensive and lengthy and entail significant user fees. We have obtained 510(k) clearance for the Omnipod, Omnipod DASH, and Omnipod 5 Systems and expect that regulatory approval will be needed for some of our future products. In addition, we may be required to obtain a new 510(k) clearance or pre-market approval for significant post-market modifications to our products.
510(k) Clearance. To obtain 510(k) clearance for any of our potential future devices (or for certain modifications to devices that have previously received 510(k) clearance), we must submit a pre-market notification demonstrating that the proposed device is substantially equivalent to a previously cleared 510(k) device. The FDA’s 510(k) clearance pathway generally takes three to 12 months from the date the application is completed but can take significantly longer. A 510(k) application must be supported by extensive data, including technical information, labeling, and potentially clinical data to meet any Special Controls and to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the device to the FDA’s satisfaction. After a medical device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a significant change in its intended use, requires a new 510(k) clearance or, depending on the modification, could require a PMA application. The FDA requires each manufacturer to make this determination initially, but if the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer’s determination, the FDA can require the manufacturer to cease marketing and/or recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA is obtained and assess significant regulatory fines or penalties for failure to submit the requisite 510(k) or PMA application(s).
PMA. Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or implantable devices, and devices deemed not substantially equivalent to a previously cleared 510(k) device generally require a PMA before they can be commercially distributed. A PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including technical information, pre-clinical and clinical trials, manufacturing information and labeling, to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the device to the FDA’s satisfaction. After a PMA application is complete, the FDA begins an in-depth review of the submitted information, which generally takes between one and three years, but may take significantly longer. During this review period, the FDA may request additional information or clarification of information already provided. Also, during the review period, an advisory panel of experts from outside the FDA may be convened to review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to the FDA as to the approvability of the device. The FDA conducts a pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility to ensure compliance with Quality System Regulations (“QSR”), which impose elaborate design development, testing, control, documentation, and other quality assurance procedures in the design and manufacturing process. The FDA may approve a PMA application with post-approval conditions intended to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution, and collection of long-term follow-up data from people in the clinical study that supported approval. Failure to comply with the conditions of approval can result in materially adverse enforcement action, including the loss or withdrawal of the approval. After PMA, a new PMA application or application supplement may be required in the event of modifications to the device, its labeling, intended use or indication, or its manufacturing process. PMA supplements often require submission of the same type of information as a PMA application, except that the supplement is limited to information needed to support any changes from the device covered by the original PMA application and may not require as extensive clinical data or the convening of an advisory panel.
Clinical Trials. Clinical trials are almost always required to support a PMA application and may also be required to support 510(k) submissions. If the device presents a “significant risk” to human health as defined by the FDA, the FDA requires the device sponsor to submit an investigational device exemption (“IDE”) and obtain IDE approval prior to commencing human clinical trials. The IDE must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory testing results, showing that it is safe to test the device in humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound. Clinical trials for a significant risk device may begin once an IDE is approved by the FDA and the appropriate Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) at each clinical trial site. If the product is deemed a “non-significant risk” device, IDE approval from the FDA would not be required, but the clinical trial would need to meet other requirements including IRB approval.
Our clinical trials must be conducted in accordance with FDA regulations and federal and state regulations concerning human subject protection, including informed consent and healthcare privacy. A clinical trial may be suspended by the FDA or at a
specific site by the relevant IRB at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the risks to the trial participants outweigh the benefits of participation in the clinical trial. Even if a clinical trial is completed, the results of our clinical testing may not demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the device or may be equivocal or otherwise insufficient for us to obtain approval of our product.
Ongoing Regulation. After a device is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply, including:
•establishment registration and device listing;
•QSR, which requires manufacturers, including third-party manufacturers, to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation, and other quality assurance procedures during the development and manufacturing process;
•labeling regulations and prohibitions against the promotion of products for uncleared, unapproved or “off-label” uses, and other requirements related to promotional activities;
•medical device reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury, or malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur;
•corrections and product recall reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA field corrections and product recalls or removals if undertaken to reduce a risk to health posed by the device or to remedy a violation of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that may present a risk to health. In addition, the FDA may order a mandatory recall if there is a reasonable probability that the device would cause serious adverse health consequences or death; and
•post-market surveillance regulations, which apply when necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and efficacy data for the device.
Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement actions by the FDA and other regulatory agencies, which may include any of the following sanctions: untitled letters or warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees, civil or criminal penalties, recall or seizure of our current or future products, operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production, refusal of or delay in granting 510(k) clearance or PMA of new products or modified products, rescinding previously granted 510(k) clearances or withdrawing previously granted PMAs, or refusal to grant import or export approval of our products.
We are subject to announced and unannounced inspections by the FDA, and these inspections may include the manufacturing facilities of our subcontractors. If, as a result of these inspections, the FDA determines that our equipment, facilities, laboratories, or processes do not comply with applicable FDA regulations and conditions of product approval, the FDA may seek civil, criminal, or administrative sanctions and/or remedies against us, including the suspension of our manufacturing operations. Since approval of the Omnipod System, we have been subject to FDA inspections of our facilities on multiple occasions.
Other Regulations
Licensure. Several states require that durable medical equipment (“DME”) providers be licensed in order to sell products in that state. Certain of these states require, among other things, that DME providers maintain an in-state location. In order to sell our product through the pharmacy channel in the United States, we are required to work with intermediaries who have the appropriate pharmacy license for the applicable market.
In addition, we are subject to certain state laws regarding professional licensure. We believe that our certified diabetes educators are in compliance with all such state laws. However, if our educators or we were to be found non-compliant, we may need to modify our approach to providing education, clinical support, and customer service.
Federal Anti-Kickback and Self-Referral Laws. The federal healthcare Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the knowing and willful offer, payment, solicitation, or receipt of any form of remuneration (anything of value) in return for, or to induce:
•the referral of an individual;
•furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of items or services reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal healthcare programs; or
•the purchase, lease, or order of, or the arrangement or recommendation of the purchasing, leasing, or ordering of, any item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal healthcare programs.
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between drug and medical device manufacturers and suppliers on one hand and prescribers, patients, purchasers, and formulary managers on the other. Liability
under the statute may be established without a person or entity having actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it. In addition, claims resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitute false or fraudulent claims for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act discussed below. Although there are a number of statutory exemptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting certain common business practices from prosecution and administrative sanctions, the exemptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly, and practices that involve remuneration that may be perceived as inducing the prescription, purchase, or recommendation of the Omnipod System may be subject to scrutiny under the law. For example, we provide the initial training to users necessary for appropriate use of the Omnipod System either through our own diabetes educators or by contracting with outside diabetes educators that have completed a Certified Pod Trainer course. We compensate outside diabetes educators for their services at contracted rates deemed to be consistent with the market. We have structured our arrangements with diabetes educators and other business practices to comply with statutory exemptions and regulatory safe harbors whenever possible, but our practices may be subject to scrutiny if they fail to strictly comply with the criteria in the exemption or regulatory safe harbor. Moreover, there are no safe harbors for many common practices such as providing reimbursement assistance, coding and billing information, or other customer assistance and product support programs. If any of our practices, arrangements, or programs are found to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, we could be subject to significant criminal, civil, and administrative penalties, including imprisonment, fines, damages, and exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or other governmental programs.
Federal law also includes a provision commonly known as the “Stark Law,” which prohibits a physician from referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to an entity for the furnishing of certain “designated health services,” including durable medical equipment, in which the physician has an ownership or investment interest or with which the physician has entered into a compensation arrangement. Violation of the Stark Law could result in denial of payment, disgorgement of reimbursements received for items and services referred by a physician with a noncompliant arrangement, civil damages and penalties, and exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or other governmental programs. Although there are statutory and regulatory exceptions protecting certain common business practices, and we have structured our arrangements with physicians and other providers to comply with these exceptions, these arrangements may not expressly meet the requirements for applicable exceptions from the Stark Law.
Federal Civil False Claims Act. The federal civil False Claims Act imposes penalties against any person or entity who, among other things, knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment of government funds, or knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim. Actions under the False Claims Act may be brought by the Attorney General or as a qui tam action by a private individual in the name of the government. Violations of the False Claims Act are subject to the imposition of significant per claim penalties, three times the amount of damages that the federal government sustained and possible exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid. We believe that we are in compliance with the federal government’s laws and regulations concerning the filing of claims for reimbursement. However, many drug and medical device manufacturers have been investigated or subject to lawsuits by whistleblowers and have reached substantial financial settlements with the federal government under the False Claims Act for a variety of alleged improper marketing activities, including providing free product to customers with the expectation that the customers would bill federal programs for the product; or causing submission of false claims by providing inaccurate coding or billing information to actual or prospective purchasers. Our business practices could be subject to scrutiny and enforcement under the federal False Claims Act. We also may be subject to other federal false claim laws, including federal criminal statutes that prohibit making a false statement to the federal government.
Civil Monetary Penalties Law. We are subject to the federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law, which prohibits, among other things, the offering or transferring of remuneration to a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary that the person knows or should know is likely to influence the beneficiary’s selection of a particular supplier of Medicare or Medicaid payable items or services. Noncompliance can result in significant civil monetary penalties for each wrongful act, assessment of three times the amount claimed for each item or service, and exclusion from the federal healthcare programs.
Federal Healthcare Fraud Statutes. We are also subject to a federal healthcare fraud statutes that, among other things, impose criminal and civil liability for executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program including non-governmental programs, and prohibit knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing, or covering up a material fact or making any materially false or fraudulent statement or representation, or making or using any false writing or document with knowledge that it contains a materially false or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items, or services. Violations of these statutes can result in significant civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, fines, damages, and exclusion from federal healthcare programs.
State Fraud and Abuse Laws and Marketing Restrictions. Many states have adopted anti-kickback, anti-referral laws, and false claims laws and regulations analogous to the federal civil Anti-Kickback Statute and federal False Claims Act. In some cases, these state laws apply regardless of the payor, including private payors. We believe that we are in compliance with such laws.
Moreover, several states have imposed requirements to disclose payments to healthcare providers, restrictions on marketing and other expenditures, and requirements to adopt a code of conduct or compliance program with specific elements. Liability under such laws could result in fines and penalties and restrictions on our ability to operate in these jurisdictions.
Administrative Simplification of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) mandated the adoption of standards for the exchange of electronic health information to encourage overall administrative simplification and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare industry. Ensuring privacy and security of patient information is one of the key factors driving the legislation. HIPAA regulations have been amended under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009. If we are found to be in violation of HIPAA, we could be subject to civil or criminal penalties.
Privacy Laws. Several states have enacted various privacy laws. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) is a consumer privacy law, which provides certain privacy rights and consumer protection for residents of the state of California. These consumer rights include the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to know whether the data is sold or disclosed and to whom, the right to request a company to the delete personal information collected, the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information and the right to non-discrimination in terms of price or service when a consumer exercises a privacy right. The California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) amends and expands the CCPA with respect to personal data collected beginning in January 2022. CPRA enforcement is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2023. If we fail to comply with these regulations, we could be subject to civil sanctions, including fines and penalties for noncompliance. Virginia and Colorado have enacted similar laws. The Consumer Data Protection Act became effective in Virginia on January 1, 2023, and the Colorado Privacy Act is effective July 1, 2023. In addition, general privacy legislation has been filed in Congress, but the final form of the legislation and when it might be enacted is difficult to predict.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (“ACA”) enacted significant changes to the provision of and payment for healthcare in the United States. Under the ACA and related laws and regulations, federal and state government initiatives are focused on limiting the growth of healthcare costs and implementing changes to healthcare delivery structures. These reforms are intended in part to put increased emphasis on the delivery to patients of more cost-effective therapies and could adversely affect our business. Additional legislative changes, regulatory changes, and judicial challenges related to the ACA remain possible. While some uncertainty exists regarding the future aspects of the ACA, we expect that the ACA will continue to have a significant impact on the delivery of healthcare in the United States and on our business in the near term.
Physician Payments Sunshine Act. The Physician Payments Sunshine Act, implemented as the Open Payments program, requires manufacturers of drugs and devices for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) information related to direct or indirect payments and other transfers of value provided to physicians and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physician and their immediate family members. Applicable manufacturers are also required to report information regarding payments and transfers of value provided to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse anesthetists and certified nurse-midwives. Failure to disclose reportable payments could subject us to penalties and materially adversely impact our business and financial results. Certain states’ laws require additional reporting of payments and transfers of value to healthcare providers.
Since these laws and regulations continue to evolve, we lack definitive guidance as to the application of certain key aspects of these laws and regulations as they relate to certain of our arrangements and programs, including those with providers with respect to user training. We cannot predict the final form of these regulations or the effect their application will have on us. As a result, our provider and training arrangements may ultimately be found not to be in compliance with applicable laws.
Ensuring that our business arrangements and interactions with healthcare professionals, third‑party payors, customers and others comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations requires substantial resources. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the exceptions or safe harbors, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of these laws.
U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). We are subject to FCPA in the U.S. and to similar anti-bribery laws in other jurisdictions, which generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Because of the predominance of government-sponsored healthcare systems around the world, our customer relationships outside of the United States may be with governmental entities and therefore subject to such anti-bribery laws. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws. We operate in parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree, and in certain circumstances strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. Despite our training and compliance programs, our internal control policies and procedures may not protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees or agents.
International Regulations
International sales of medical devices are subject to foreign government regulations, which may vary substantially from country to country. The time required to obtain approval by a foreign country may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA clearance or approval, and the requirements may differ. There is a trend towards harmonization of quality system standards among the European Union, United States, Canada and various other industrialized countries.
The primary regulatory body in Europe is that of the European Union, which includes most of the major countries in Europe. Other countries, such as Switzerland, have voluntarily adopted laws and regulations that mirror those of the European Union with respect to medical devices. The European Union has adopted numerous directives and standards regulating the design, clinical trials, manufacture, labeling, and adverse event reporting for medical devices, including the Medical Device Directive (“MDD”) and the Medical Device Regulation (“MDR”), which replaced MDD in May 2021. Devices that comply with the requirements of the MDD will be entitled to bear the CE conformity marking and, accordingly, can be commercially distributed until May 2024, at which time devices must comply with the MDR, unless certain requirements are met that would allow for an extension until December 2027. The method of assessing conformity with the applicable directive varies depending on the class of the product, but normally involves a combination of self-assessment by the manufacturer and a third-party assessment by a “Notified Body”. The latter is required in order for a manufacturer to commercially distribute the product throughout the European Union. This third-party assessment may consist of an audit of the manufacturer’s quality system and specific testing of the manufacturer’s product. Outside of the European Union, regulatory approval needs to be sought on a country-by-country basis for us to market our products.
We have obtained the right to affix the CE Mark to the Omnipod and Omnipod DASH Systems under the MDD and to the Omnipod 5 System under MDR, which allows us to distribute these products throughout the European Union and in other countries that recognize the CE Mark. In addition, we have Health Canada approval to sell Classic Omnipod and Omnipod DASH in Canada.
A range of anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, as well as industry specific laws and codes of conduct, apply to the medical device industry and interactions with government officials and entities and healthcare professionals. These laws include the U.K. Bribery Act and similar antibribery laws in other jurisdictions in which we operate. Such laws generally prohibit U.S.-based companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business to foreign officials, or in the case of the U.K. Bribery Act, to any person.
General Data Protection Regulation. The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) is a comprehensive update to the data protection regime in the European Economic Area that imposes requirements relating to, among other things, consent to process personal data of individuals, the information provided to individuals regarding the processing of their personal data, the security and confidentiality of personal data, notifications in the event of data breaches, and use of third-party processors. If we fail to comply with these standards, we could be subject to criminal penalties and civil sanctions, including fines and penalties for noncompliance.
Human Capital Resources
Employees
Our people are our most valuable asset and are the source of our innovation and our success. We strive to attract and retain the best talent with competitive compensation and benefits, opportunities for growth and development, and a culture that emphasizes fair and equitable treatment. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately 2,600 full-time employees, representing a 13% increase over the prior year. Approximately 80% of our employees are located in the United States and the remainder are located in 15 other countries.
To assess and improve employee retention and engagement, we survey employees with the assistance of third-party consultants, and take timely action to address key areas of employee concern. We conduct engagement surveys to gain valuable insight into our employees’ experience and identify areas for improvement. In 2022, instead of conducting an engagement survey once per year, we launched ‘Your Voice’ pulse surveys, which are conducted more often, to better understand opportunities to improve our talent management strategy and gain a more dynamic view of our employees’ needs. Our senior leadership team assesses engagement to understand and identify potential opportunities for improvement.
Our executive leadership team conducts regular Town Hall meetings to ensure our global employees are highly engaged and receive timely business updates. To help our remote employees feel socially connected to their colleagues, we created our “Stay Connected” initiative, which includes virtual meetings with our executive team members. These virtual meetings are designed as casual conversations with our executives so employees can talk about what is on their minds, get to know the executive leaders, and connect with colleagues from across the organization. We also publish a monthly global employee newsletter, which includes a timely collection of high-level developments and local highlights from across our organization and utilize a social networking tool to ensure our global employees are engaged, motivated, and collaborating with one another.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”)
Our success thrives on the diversity of perspective, thought, experience, and background within our workforce. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive global culture that reflects the diversity of the customers we serve and creates an environment where all employees feel welcomed, respected, and valued. Accordingly, we are committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of our Company culture and workplace. In 2022, we continued to develop a comprehensive, multi-year diversity and social impact strategy that outlines how to implement our greatest opportunities for impact, in alignment with the needs of our stakeholders and diversity maturity model. Our DEI activities focus on four main areas—Attraction, Talent Development, Culture, and External Engagement—which reflect our commitment to integrating DEI within our business processes. In 2022, we worked to embed diversity more formally into our talent acquisition process to attract a diverse pool of candidates. In addition, we launched our flagship diversity training, Conscious Inclusion, to all employees.
Our Employee Resource Groups (“ERGs”) serve as a source of inclusion across the following eight categories: African Descent, Asian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latin, LGBTQ+, Sustainability, Veterans and First Responders, Women, and Young Professionals. These ERGs support the acquisition of diverse talent and are sponsored by senior leaders across our organization.
Training and Development
We are committed to fostering an environment in which our employees continuously learn and develop. We offer both leadership and professional skills development programs. All employees who join Insulet undergo a robust onboarding program called RITE Start that introduces our core values of respect, integrity, teamwork, and excellence, and educates new employees about diabetes, our Omnipod products, our business strategy, our culture, and our mission, which is to improve the lives of people with diabetes. In 2022, we launched our ‘Ignite Your Growth’ career development program to employees across the globe. We also offer intensive Customer Care New Hire Training and Sales New Hire Training. In addition, employees have access to monthly learning programs and virtual and online learning programs. Further, during our 2022 annual Compliance Week, employees logged over 7,000 training hours. We offer leadership development programs to support the growth of our future leaders. We also offer training for new managers and resources for our experienced leaders. Additionally, we offer professional certification course reimbursement of up to $3,000 annually and tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250 annually for courses taken in pursuit of an undergraduate degree and up to $10,000 annually for courses taken in pursuit of a graduate degree. Finally, we offer virtual training programs and employee communications designed to support employees and leaders that take advantage of our flexible work policy, including programs on leading effective remote meetings, managing remotely, and how to leverage collaborative learning tools.
Competitive Pay and Benefits
Our compensation program is designed to align employee compensation with our performance and to provide the proper incentives to attract, retain, and motivate employees to achieve superior results. The structure of our compensation program balances incentive earnings for both short-term and long-term performance. Specifically,
•We provide employee wages that are competitive and consistent with employee positions, skill levels, experience, knowledge, and geographic location.
•We engage internationally recognized outside compensation and benefits consulting firms to independently evaluate the effectiveness of our executive compensation and benefit programs and to provide benchmarking.
•We align our executives’ long-term equity compensation with our shareholders’ interests.
•Annual increases and incentive compensation are based on our performance as well as each individual’s contribution to the results achieved and are documented through our talent management process as part of our annual review process.
We are committed to providing comprehensive benefit options that allow our employees and their families to live healthier and more secure lives. Our wide-ranging benefits include health insurance, telehealth, prescription drug benefits, dental insurance, vision insurance, 80 hours of COVID-19 paid sick time, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, health savings accounts, flexible savings accounts, retirement plans, employee stock purchase plan, legal services, identity theft protection, maternity/paternity leave, and employee assistance program. In addition, we offer Pod perks, which provides a free Omnipod System, including PDM/Controller and Pods to benefit eligible employees, interns, or dependents; summer hours; and a flexible work policy.
In additional to the above, we continued our commitment to flexibility through our Future of Work program. Our Future of Work program and Global Flexible Working Arrangement Policy are rooted in a “choice with responsibility” philosophy. Our sustained commitment to flexibility enables access to a broader, more diverse, and more exceptional talent pool.
Health and Safety
We maintain an occupational health and safety management system that covers all our employees, contractors, and temporary employees because we are committed to the safety and well-being of our workforce. By minimizing risks at our factories and implementing training to enhance awareness of hazards, we are able to promote safe practices and preserve the health of our employees.
Modern manufacturing enables efficiency and automation, which reduces exposure to health and safety risks throughout the production process. At our facilities, the majority of our equipment is fully automated to minimize human involvement in the operations of machines and therefore reduce the risk of injury. We maintain high standards for workplace safety, and our orientation for technicians includes training about safe procedures, such as lockout/tagout.
We have a Health and Safety Compliance Manual to provide employees with the tools needed to identify and report hazards and reduce work-related injuries. Our programs and policies are in compliance with applicable local, regional, and federal laws, including U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. We continuously monitor and adapt to regional regulations as we expand our facilities into new geographies. In addition to hazard recognition, our workplace health and safety programs cover ergonomics, hearing conservation, fall protection, and accident and injury prevention.
We also have formal plans in place to protect our employee’s safety in the event of an emergency. In addition, our Acton, Massachusetts facility maintains an Emergency Action Plan that describes procedures that employees should follow when faced with a variety of unexpected health and safety events. As part of this initiative, we trained certain employees to use automated external defibrillators, provide first aid, and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In addition, we conduct periodic health and safety audits of our facilities to monitor the effectiveness of our programs and drive continuous improvement in our overall safety performance as Insulet expands in size and impact.
Company Information
Insulet Corporation is a Delaware corporation formed in 2000. Our principal office is located at 100 Nagog Park, Acton, Massachusetts, 01720 and our website address is http://www.insulet.com. We make available free of charge on our website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file or furnish such materials to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We have also posted the charters for our Audit Committee, Talent and Compensation Committee and Nominating, Governance and Risk Committee, as well as our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, under the heading “Corporate Governance” in the Investors section of our website. The information on our website is not incorporated in this report by reference. In addition, the SEC maintains a website (http//www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
We currently rely on sales of the Omnipod System, and tailored versions of the Omnipod System in our Drug Delivery product line, to generate nearly all our revenue.
Our main product is the Omnipod System, from which we expect to continue to derive nearly all our revenue. Accordingly, our ability to continue to generate revenue is highly reliant on our ability to market and sell the Omnipod System and to retain consumers who currently use the product. Our sales of the Omnipod System may be negatively impacted by many factors, including:
•failure of the Omnipod System to achieve and maintain wide acceptance among opinion leaders in the diabetes treatment community, insulin-prescribing physicians, third-party payors, and people with insulin-dependent diabetes;
•manufacturing problems or capacity constraints;
•actual or perceived quality problems;
•reductions in reimbursement rates or coverage policies relating to the Omnipod System by third-party payors;
•claims that any portion of the Omnipod System infringes on intellectual property rights of others;
•adverse regulatory or legal actions relating to the Omnipod System;
•damage, destruction or loss of any of the facilities where our products are manufactured or stored or of the equipment therein;
•failure to successfully open or expand new facilities;
•the inability of users to continue paying for our products;
•attrition rates of consumers who cease using the Omnipod System;
•competitive pricing;
•results of clinical studies relating to the Omnipod System or our competitors’ products; and
•development of an effective patch pump by one or more competitors.
If any of these events occurs, our ability to generate revenue could be significantly reduced, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If we fail to expand and maintain an effective sales force or successfully develop our relationships with intermediaries, our business, prospects and brand may be materially and adversely affected.
In addition to promoting, marketing, and selling the Omnipod System through our own direct sales force, we also utilize domestic and international intermediaries to distribute our product to users. We need to expand our distribution network to maintain and grow our business and revenue. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully develop our relationships with third-party intermediaries. If we fail to do so, our sales could fail to grow or could decline, and our ability to grow our business could be adversely affected. Intermediaries that are in the business of selling other medical products may not devote a sufficient level of resources and the support required to generate awareness of our products and grow or maintain product sales. If our intermediaries are unwilling or unable to market and sell our products, or if they do not perform to our expectations, we could experience delayed or reduced market acceptance and sales of our products, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our ability to grow our revenue depends in part on our retaining a high percentage of our customers.
A key to driving our revenue growth is the retention of a high percentage of our customers. We have developed retention programs aimed at both healthcare professionals and consumers, which include appeals assistance, ongoing customer communications, newsletters, support, training, and an automatic re-order program for certain customers. We have had a satisfactory customer retention rate; however, we cannot assure you that we will maintain this retention rate in the future. Current uncertainty in global economic conditions, competition, higher levels of unemployment, changes in insurance reimbursement levels, and negative financial news may negatively affect product demand. If demand for our products fluctuates as a result of economic conditions or otherwise, our ability to attract and retain customers could be harmed. The failure to retain a high percentage of our customers could negatively impact our revenue growth and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If we do not effectively manage our rapid growth, our business resources may become strained and we may not be able to deliver the Omnipod System in a timely manner, which could harm our results of operations.
As we continue to expand the number of customers we serve, driven in large part by significant demand for Omnipod 5, we expect to continue to increase our manufacturing capacity, our personnel, and the scope of our sales and marketing efforts. This growth, as well as any other growth that we may experience in the future, will provide challenges to our organization and may strain our management and operations resources, including our customer service. In order to manage future growth, we will be required to improve existing, and implement new, sales and marketing efforts, distribution channels, and customer support procedures. The form and function of our enterprise information technology systems will need to change and be improved upon as our business needs change. For example, we are currently working to implement a new enterprise resource planning system and significantly upgrade our customer relationship management system. We will also need to manage our supply chain and manufacturing effectively, including our sourcing of materials such as semiconductor chips. We may also need to partner with additional third-party suppliers to manufacture certain components of the Omnipod System and install additional manufacturing lines. A transition to new suppliers may result in additional costs or delays. We may misjudge the amount of time or resources that will be required to effectively manage any anticipated or unanticipated growth in our business, or we may not be able to manufacture sufficient inventory, or attract, hire and retain sufficient personnel to meet our needs. If we cannot scale our business appropriately, maintain control over expenses or otherwise adapt to anticipated and unanticipated growth, our business resources may become strained, we may not be able to deliver the Omnipod System in a timely manner, and our results of operations may be adversely affected.
Failure to secure or retain adequate coverage or reimbursement for our products by third-party payors could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We expect that sales of the Omnipod System, which, in the U.S., occur only through the pharmacy channel for Omnipod 5 and primarily through the pharmacy channel for Omnipod DASH, will be limited unless a substantial portion of the sales price of the Omnipod System is paid for by third-party payors, including private insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, federal and state government healthcare agencies, intermediaries, Medicare, Medicaid and other managed care providers. In the United States, we currently have contracts establishing reimbursement for
the Omnipod System with national and regional third-party payors and government agencies that provide reimbursement in all 50 states. Medicare Part D Plan Sponsors may provide coverage for the Omnipod System under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, which requires negotiating with third-party payors in order to provide our product through the pharmacy channel in the United States. While we anticipate entering into additional contracts with other intermediaries and third-party payors, we cannot assure you that our efforts will be successful, which could limit the availability of the Omnipod System. In addition, these contracts can generally be terminated by the third-party payor without cause. Healthcare market initiatives in the United States may also lead third-party payors to decline or reduce reimbursement for the Omnipod System. Moreover, compliance with administrative procedures or requirements of third-party payors may result in delays in processing approvals by those payors for consumers to obtain coverage for the use of the Omnipod System and for payment to be made for such use. Coverage decisions and rates of reimbursement increasingly require clinical evidence showing an improvement in user outcomes. Generating this clinical evidence requires substantial time and investment and there is no guarantee of a desired outcome.
As we expand our Omnipod System sales and marketing efforts internationally, we face additional risks associated with obtaining and maintaining reimbursement from foreign healthcare payment systems on a timely basis or at all. Failure to secure or retain adequate coverage or reimbursement for the Omnipod System by third-party payors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Healthcare reform laws could adversely affect our revenue and financial condition.
During the past several years, the U.S. healthcare industry has been subject to an increase in governmental regulation at both the federal and state levels. Efforts to control healthcare costs, including limiting access to care, alternative delivery models, and changes in the methods used to determine reimbursement scenarios and rates, are ongoing at the federal and state government levels.
It is unclear how the ACA and its implementation, as well as efforts to repeal or replace, or invalidate, the ACA, or portions thereof, will affect our business. Additional legislative changes, regulatory changes, and judicial challenges related to the ACA remain possible. It is possible that the ACA, as currently enacted or as it may be amended in the future, and other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, could have an adverse effect on our industry and on our ability to maintain or increase sales of any of our products.
Risks Related to Competition, Product Development and Intellectual Property
Our failure to compete effectively would negatively impact our revenue.
The competitive landscape in our industry continues to undergo significant change. We compete with companies that produce insulin pumps, such as Medtronic, Tandem, The Ypsomed Group and Roche Diabetes Care, Inc (“Roche”). In addition to the established insulin pump competitors, we compete with companies that provide products and supplies for MDI therapy. MDI therapy, including smart pens, can be substantially less expensive than pump therapy, and improvements in the effectiveness of MDI therapy may result in fewer people with insulin-dependent diabetes converting from MDI therapy to pump therapy than we expect, which could result in price pressure and decreased revenue.
In addition, some of our competitors, such as Medtronic and Roche, are large, well-capitalized companies with more resources than we have. These companies may have competitive advantages over us, including:
•significantly greater name recognition;
•different and more complete reimbursement profiles;
•established relations with healthcare professionals, customers, and third-party payors;
•larger and more established distribution networks;
•greater experience in conducting research and development, clinical trials, manufacturing, marketing, and obtaining regulatory approval; and
•greater financial and human resources for product development, sales and marketing, and patent litigation.
As a result, we may not be able to compete effectively against these companies or their products, which may adversely impact our business.
Our current competitors or other companies may at any time develop additional products for the treatment of diabetes. Several companies are working to develop and market new insulin “patch” pumps, smart pens, and other methods for the treatment of diabetes. If an existing or future competitor develops a product that competes with or is superior to the Omnipod System, our revenue may decline. In addition, some of our competitors may compete by changing their pricing model or by lowering the price of their insulin delivery systems or ancillary supplies. If these competitors’ products were to gain acceptance by healthcare
professionals, people with insulin-dependent diabetes, or third-party payors, we could experience pricing pressure. If prices were to fall, our results of operations could be materially adversely impacted.
Technological breakthroughs in diabetes monitoring, treatment, or prevention could render the Omnipod System obsolete.
The diabetes treatment market is subject to rapid technological change and product innovation. The Omnipod System is based on our proprietary technology, but a number of companies, medical researchers, and pharmaceutical companies are pursuing new delivery devices, delivery technologies, sensing technologies, procedures, drugs, and other therapeutics for the monitoring, treatment, and/or prevention of insulin-dependent diabetes. For example, in 2020 Tandem launched an AID system, with which Omnipod 5 competes directly, and which could negatively impact our business. In addition, the National Institutes of Health and other supporters of diabetes research are continually seeking ways to prevent, cure, or improve the treatment of diabetes. Any technological breakthroughs in diabetes monitoring, treatment, or prevention could render the Omnipod System obsolete, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our own new product development initiatives may prove to be ineffective or not commercially successful.
The healthcare industry is characterized by continuous technological change, resulting in changing consumer preferences and requirements. If we are unable to introduce and market new products and keep pace with advances in technology, our business will be negatively impacted. To compete in the marketplace, we must make substantial investments in new product development whether internally or externally through licensing or acquisitions. Even if we can develop, manufacture, and obtain regulatory and reimbursement approvals for our new products, the success of those products depends on market acceptance. Market acceptance for our new products could be affected by several factors, including the availability of alternative products from our competitors, the price of our products, the timing of our market entry, and our ability to market and distribute our products effectively. Our failure to introduce new and innovative products in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
If the third parties on which we rely to conduct our clinical trials and to assist us with pre-clinical development do not perform as contractually required or expected, we may not be able to obtain regulatory clearance or approval or commercialize our products.
We rely on third parties, such as contract research organizations, medical institutions, clinical investigators, contract laboratories, and other third parties to conduct some of our clinical trials and pre-clinical investigations. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or regulatory obligations or meet expected deadlines, or if the quality or accuracy of the data they obtain is compromised due to failure to adhere to our clinical protocols or regulatory requirements or for other reasons, our pre-clinical development activities or clinical trials may be extended, delayed, suspended, or terminated, and we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize, our products on a timely basis, or at all, and our business and operating results may be adversely affected. Furthermore, our third-party clinical trial investigators may be delayed in conducting our clinical trials for reasons outside of their control.
Future market or clinical studies may be unfavorable to the Omnipod System and its efficacy, which could hinder our sales efforts and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
To help improve, market, and sell the Omnipod System, we have sponsored, and expect to continue to sponsor market studies to assess various aspects of the Omnipod System’s functionality and its relative efficacy. The data obtained from the studies may be unfavorable to the Omnipod System or may be inadequate to support satisfactory conclusions. In addition, in the future we may sponsor clinical trials to assess certain aspects of the efficacy of the Omnipod System. If future clinical trials fail to support the efficacy of our current or future products, our sales may be adversely affected and we may lose an opportunity to secure clinical preference from prescribing clinicians, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In addition, future clinical studies or articles regarding our existing products or any competing products may be published that either support a claim, or are perceived to support a claim, that a competitor’s product is clinically more effective or easier to use than the Omnipod System or that the Omnipod System is not as effective or easy to use as we claim. Additionally, diabetes associations, healthcare providers that focus on diabetes, or other organizations that may be viewed as authoritative could endorse products or methods that compete with the Omnipod System or otherwise announce positions that are unfavorable to the Omnipod System. Any of these events may negatively affect our sales efforts and result in decreased revenue.
We may be unable to adequately protect our intellectual property rights.
Our success depends in part on our ability to develop or acquire commercially valuable intellectual property rights and to protect those rights adequately. We rely on a combination of patents, trade secrets, copyright and trademark laws, confidentiality, non-disclosure and assignment of invention agreements, and other contractual provisions and technical
measures to protect our intellectual property rights. Despite these measures, any of our intellectual property rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented, or misappropriated.
We may not be able to develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable, and we cannot ensure that our pending patent applications will result in the issuance of patents to us. We also cannot ensure that patents issued to, or licensed by or to, us in the past or in the future will not be challenged or circumvented by competitors. These patents may be found to be invalid or not sufficiently broad to preclude our competitors from introducing technologies similar to those covered by our patents and patent applications. In addition, our ability to enforce and protect our intellectual property rights internationally may be limited in certain circumstances. For example, we may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights effectively in China, where we rely on a third-party contract manufacturer to produce our product.
Our efforts to safeguard our unpatented and unregistered intellectual property rights, including requiring employees, consultants, and other third parties to sign confidentiality, non-disclosure, or assignment of invention agreements, may not be successful. The agreements may be breached and trade secrets and other proprietary information could be disclosed to our competitors. Further, we may have inadequate remedies for any breach. In addition, others may independently develop substantially equivalent or superior proprietary information and techniques or gain access to our trade secrets or disclose such technologies.
To protect our intellectual property, we may need to assert claims of infringement against third parties. Any lawsuits that we initiate could be expensive, take significant time, and divert management’s attention from other business concerns. The outcome of litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights is highly unpredictable. A court could determine that some or all of our asserted intellectual property rights are not infringed, or are invalid, or unenforceable. Additionally, we may provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially valuable. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Claims that our current or future products infringe or misappropriate the proprietary rights of others could adversely affect our ability to sell those products and cause us to incur additional costs.
While not a part of our business plans or operations, we have been involved in patent infringement suits in the past, including as disclosed in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. As our revenue increases, the number of companies with whom we compete grows and the functionality of products and technology in different industry segments overlaps, the risk of third-party infringement claims increases. Third parties may currently have, or may eventually be issued, patents on which our current or future products or technologies may infringe. Any of these third parties might make a claim of infringement against us.
Such litigation, regardless of its outcome, could result in the expenditure of significant financial resources and the diversion of management’s time and resources. In addition, such litigation could cause negative publicity, adversely affect prospective users, cause product shipment delays, limit or prohibit us from manufacturing, marketing or selling our current or future products, and/or require us to develop non-infringing technology, make substantial payments to third parties, or enter into royalty or license agreements, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. If a successful claim of infringement were made against us and we could not develop non-infringing technology or license the infringed or similar technology on a timely and cost-effective basis, our revenue could decrease substantially, and we could be exposed to significant liability. A court could enter orders that temporarily, preliminarily, or permanently enjoin consumers from using our products or us from manufacturing, selling, or importing our products, or could enter an order mandating that we undertake certain remedial activities.
We rely on agreements or licenses to intellectual property or other rights in order to sell our current product and commercialize new products.
We rely on agreements or licenses to intellectual property or other rights in order to sell our current product and commercialize new products. If we cannot retain or obtain these agreements, licenses, or other rights, we may not be able to sell, develop, or commercialize our products. For example, our rights to incorporate the FreeStyle blood glucose meter into the Omnipod are governed by a license agreement with Abbott. In addition, we have a commercial agreement with Dexcom that allows us to sell Omnipod 5 with integration to Dexcom’s CGM and have a development agreement with Abbott to integrate Abbott’s CGM into Omnipod 5. The loss of any of these rights could impair the functionality of the Omnipod System or prevent us from selling our products without significant development and regulatory activities that may not be completed in time to prevent an interruption in the availability of the Omnipod System to consumers. This could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We also have a partnership with Glooko that allows the Omnipod System to connect with Glooko’s cloud-based diabetes data management system so that users and healthcare providers can monitor user data, including insulin delivery trends and blood
glucose levels. Our agreement with Glooko expires in December 2025. If this agreement is not renewed in the future, our business could be materially adversely impacted.
Risks Related to Economic Conditions and Operating Internationally
Our financial condition and results of operations have been and may to continue to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide economic issues, such as inflation.
The COVID-19 pandemic and preventative measures taken to contain or mitigate the outbreak have caused, and to some degree are continuing to cause, business slowdown or shutdown in affected areas, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, inflation and disruption in the financial markets globally. As a result of the pandemic as well as worldwide economic issues such as inflation, consumers may reduce their spending, new orders for our Omnipod System may decline and our user attrition rate may increase, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, sales, financial condition, and results of operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic also has the potential to significantly impact our supply chain if the manufacturing plants that produce our products or product components, the distribution centers where we manage our inventory, or the operations of our logistics and other service providers, including third parties that sterilize our products, are disrupted, temporarily closed or experience worker shortages for a sustained period of time. Although China, where we manufacture a significant portion of our product, has experienced a recovery and we are currently producing at pre-COVID-19 levels, further disruption in China could hinder our ability to produce product and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have transitioned to a remote or hybrid work environment, which has increased risks associated with our information technology systems and networks. These increased risks include cyber-attacks, computer viruses, disruptions, or shutdowns that could result in a failure to protect our information technology systems and data integrity.
The further spread of COVID-19, and the requirements to take action to help limit the spread of the illness, may impact our ability to carry out our business as usual. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic may divert healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials and interrupt the operations of the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory agencies, which could delay product approval timelines, as it did for Omnipod 5.
Our financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected by international business risks.
In addition to the United States, we sell the Omnipod System in Europe, Canada, the Middle East and Australia. Our international operations are subject to risks that are inherent in conducting business under foreign laws, regulations and customs. International sales made up over 25% of our revenues in 2022 and we expect international sales to contribute significantly to our future growth. If the U.S. dollar strengthens in relation to the currencies of other countries where we sell our products, such as the euro, our U.S. dollar reported revenue and income will decrease. Changes in the relative values of currencies occur regularly and, in some instances, may have a significant effect on our operating results. We also rely on third-party suppliers located in other countries. For example, a significant portion of our Omnipod Systems are manufactured at third-party contract manufacturer facility in China.
Our efforts to introduce or expand our current or future products in international markets may not be successful, in which case we may have expended significant resources without realizing the expected benefit. Ultimately, the investment required for expansion into international markets could exceed the results of operations generated from this expansion.
In addition to the risks discussed elsewhere in this Item 1A, other risks associated with doing business internationally, include:
•political instability and actual or anticipated military or political conflicts;
•trade protection measures, such as tariff increases, and import and export licensing and control requirements;
•negative consequences from changes in or interpretations of tax laws;
•difficulty in establishing, staffing, and managing international operations;
•difficulties associated with foreign legal systems, including increased costs associated with enforcing contractual obligations in foreign jurisdictions;
•adapting to the differing laws and regulations, business and clinical practices, and consumer preferences in international markets;
•difficulties in managing international relationships, including any relationships that we establish with foreign partners, distributors, or sales or marketing agents; and
•difficulty in collecting accounts receivable and longer collection periods.
In addition, in January 2020, the U.K. withdrew from the European Union, commonly referred to as “Brexit”. While the UK and the European Union entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a number of areas are still unsettled, and it is
possible that there could be greater restrictions on imports and exports and on the movement of people between the U.K. and European Union countries as well as increased regulatory complexities.
Failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws could materially adversely affect our business and result in civil and/or criminal sanctions.
The FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act, and similar anti-bribery laws enacted in other jurisdictions generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Because of the predominance of government-sponsored healthcare systems around the world, most of our customer relationships outside of the United States are with governmental entities and are therefore subject to such anti-bribery laws. Because we do business in the U.K., the U.K. Bribery Act also extends to our interaction with public and private sector entities and persons outside the U.K., including in the United States. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws. We operate in parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree, and in certain circumstances strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. Despite our training and compliance programs, our internal control policies and procedures may not always protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees or agents. Violations of anti-bribery laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
Risks Related to Supply Chain, Operations, and Drug Delivery
Our Omnipod System inventory is produced and maintained in a limited number of locations.
Our manufacturing of the Omnipod System is conducted in two locations, at our U.S. manufacturing facility in Massachusetts and on manufacturing lines owned by us at a facility located in China that is operated by a third-party contract manufacturer. Political or financial instability, currency fluctuations, the outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19, labor unrest, transport capacity and costs, port security, weather conditions, natural disasters, or other events that could slow or disrupt port activities and affect foreign trade are beyond our control and could materially disrupt our supply of product from China, increase our costs, and/or adversely affect our results of operations. Further, following the COVID-19 pandemic there may be increased pressure for U.S. medical device companies to reduce dependency on China for their supply chain. In addition, substantially all of our U.S. Omnipod System inventory is held at a single location in Massachusetts and our European Omnipod System inventory is maintained by a third-party logistics entity primarily in a single location in the Netherlands. We take precautions to ensure that our third-party contract manufacturer and logistics entity safeguard our assets, including maintaining insurance, enacting health and safety protocols, and storing computer data offsite. However, a natural or other disaster, such as a fire or flood, could cause substantial delays in our operations, damage or destroy our manufacturing equipment and/or inventory, and cause us to incur additional expenses. The insurance we maintain may not be adequate to cover our losses in any particular case. With or without insurance, damage to our facility, manufacturing equipment, inventory or other property or to any of our suppliers, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We are dependent upon third-party suppliers, making us vulnerable to supply problems and price fluctuations, and we may not be able to obtain sufficient components or raw materials on a timely basis at all.
The manufacture of our product requires the timely delivery of sufficient amounts of quality components and materials from many suppliers in various countries. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure the continuity of supply, but we cannot guarantee these efforts will always be successful. For example, given the recent worldwide semiconductor chip shortage, we have entered into “take or pay” contracts with suppliers but cannot guarantee our suppliers will meet their obligations under these contracts. We have also seen significant price increases for various components and raw materials, including for semiconductor chips. We do not have long-term supply agreements with all of our suppliers, and, in many cases, we, or our contract manufacturer, make purchases based on individual purchase orders. In some cases, our agreements with suppliers can be terminated by either party upon short notice. Additionally, while efforts are made to diversify our sources of components and materials, in certain instances we acquire components and materials from a sole supplier. Also, due to the stringent regulations and requirements of the FDA and similar regulatory agencies in other countries regarding the manufacture of our products, we may not be able to quickly establish additional or replacement sources for some components or materials.
Our reliance on these third-party suppliers, as well as on our third-party manufacturer, subjects us to other risks that could harm our business, including:
•our suppliers may give other customers’ needs higher priority than ours affecting their ability to deliver products to us in a timely manner, as we are not a major customer of many of our suppliers;
•we may not be able to obtain an adequate supply of materials or components in a timely manner or on commercially reasonable terms;
•our suppliers may make errors in manufacturing that could negatively affect the safety or efficacy of our products, cause delays in shipment, or negatively affect our reputation;
•we may have difficulty locating and qualifying alternative suppliers for our sole-source supplies;
•switching components may require product redesign and submission to the FDA of a new 510(k);
•thefts of our trade secrets and intellectual property could occur with the third-party supply process;
•the occurrence of a fire, natural disaster, or other catastrophe, impacting one or more of our suppliers, may affect their ability to deliver products to us in a timely manner;
•our suppliers may encounter financial hardships unrelated to our demand, which could inhibit their ability to fulfill our orders and meet our requirements, and
•our suppliers may fail to comply with conflict minerals, anti-slavery, or other applicable laws, thus impairing our ability to source materials.
An interruption, delay, or inability to obtain components, products and raw materials from our third-party suppliers at acceptable prices in a timely manner, could hinder our ability to manufacture our products in a timely or cost-effective manner and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our manufacturing process is highly complex and subject to regulation; as demand for our products increase, we may experience manufacturing difficulties, including not effectively managing the start-up of new manufacturing lines or issues with our third-party contract manufacturer, which could harm our business.
The manufacture of our product is highly exacting and complex, due in part to strict regulatory requirements. While we manufacture Omnipod Systems in the United States, a third-party contract manufacturer in China performs assembly and supplies a significant portion of all finished Omnipod Systems. We and our contract manufacturer may encounter problems during manufacturing for a variety of reasons, including equipment malfunction, failure to follow specific protocols and procedures, defective raw materials, and environmental factors. These issues could lead to launch delays, product shortage, unanticipated costs, lost revenues, and damage to our reputation. A failure to identify and address manufacturing problems prior to the release of products to our customers may also result in a quality or safety issue. Significant manufacturing problems could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows. In addition, as we commence operation of new manufacturing lines, we could experience quality issues and unexpected operational delays that decrease our gross margins and cause a shortage of product supply.
Our non-insulin Drug Delivery product line faces challenges which, if not met, may impair its future success.
Our non-insulin Drug Delivery product line involves the development, manufacture, and sale of a modified Omnipod System for delivery of a specific drug other than insulin. Substantially all of our commercialized Drug Delivery revenue consists of sales of a customized version of our product for use in Amgen’s Neulasta Onpro kit under an agreement that expires in December 2023. The marketing and sales initiatives driving this product line differ markedly from those on which we rely for our sales of Omnipod Systems to treat diabetes since the non-insulin drug delivery devices depend on marketing and sales to pharmaceutical companies, not to users and clinicians. We expect that the future results of our Drug Delivery product line will face several challenges, including:
•our identification of drug delivery opportunities for a modified Omnipod System;
•our achievement of satisfactory development and pricing terms with the pharmaceutical companies that sell such drugs;
•our development of appropriate modifications to our Omnipod System technology to address the needs and parameters required for the respective drug-delivery opportunities;
•manufacturing issues relating to the modified Omnipod System;
•long lead-times associated with the development, regulatory approvals, and ramp up applicable to the use of modified Omnipod Systems for the delivery of such drugs;
•relatively small number of modified Omnipod Systems needed to address each drug-delivery opportunity;
•uncertainties regarding the market acceptance of such drugs and the modified Omnipod System as an appropriate delivery device;
•uncertainties relating to the success of the pharmaceutical companies in marketing and selling such drugs as well as the modified Omnipod Systems as the appropriate delivery devices;
•intense competition in the drug-delivery industry, including from competitors which have substantially greater resources;
•demand for non-insulin drugs, including the impact of generics and biosimilars;
•maintaining appropriate gross margins; and
•regulatory requirements and reimbursement rates associated with such drugs.
If we are unsuccessful in overcoming one or more of these challenges, or if our agreement with Amgen is terminated or not renewed, our financial results could be materially and adversely impacted.
Risks Related to Government Regulation and Litigation
We are subject to extensive government regulation, which could restrict the sales and marketing of our products and could cause us to incur significant costs.
Our medical device products and operations are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and various other federal, state, local, and foreign government authorities. Government regulation of medical devices is meant to assure their safety and effectiveness, and includes regulation of, among other things:
•design, development and manufacturing;
•testing, labeling, and content and language of instructions for use and storage;
•clinical trials;
•regulatory clearances and approvals, including premarket clearance and approval;
•product safety;
•advertising and promotion;
•marketing, sales, and distribution;
•conformity assessment procedures;
•product traceability and record keeping procedures;
•product complaints, complaint reporting, recalls and field safety corrective actions;
•post-market surveillance, including reporting of deaths or serious injuries and malfunctions that, if they were to recur, could lead to death or serious injury;
•post-market studies; and
•product import and export.
Before a new medical device, or a significant modification of a medical device, including a new use of or claim for an existing product, can be marketed in the United States, it must first receive either 510(k) clearance or PMA from the FDA, unless an exemption applies. While we have received 510(k) clearance for our Omnipod Insulin Management System as well as modified versions of this device, including Omnipod DASH and Omnipod 5, we may be required to obtain a new 510(k) clearance or PMA for significant further post-market modifications. Obtaining 510(k) clearance or PMA can be expensive and lengthy, and we may not be able to obtain them in a timely fashion or at all. Delays in obtaining future clearances could adversely affect our ability to introduce new or enhanced products in a timely manner, which in turn could harm our revenue and future profitability.
We also are subject to numerous post-marketing regulatory requirements, which include quality system regulations related to the manufacture of our devices, labeling regulations, and medical device reporting regulations. The last of these regulations requires us to report to the FDA if our devices cause or contribute to a death or serious injury, or malfunction in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction recurred. If we fail to comply with present or future regulatory requirements that are applicable to us, we may be subject to enforcement action by the FDA, which may include any of the following sanctions:
•untitled letters, warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees, and civil penalties;
•customer notification, or orders for repair, replacement, or refunds;
•voluntary or mandatory recall or seizure of our current or future products;
•administrative detention by the FDA of medical devices believed to be adulterated or misbranded;
•operating restrictions, suspension or shutdown of production;
•refusing our requests for 510(k) clearance or PMA of new products, new intended uses or modifications to the Omnipod System;
•rescinding 510(k) clearance or suspending or withdrawing PMAs that have already been granted; and
•criminal prosecution.
The occurrence of any of these events may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. As described elsewhere in this 10-K, in October and November 2022, we issued voluntary Medical Device Corrections (“MDCs”) relating to the batteries and/or charging of our DASH PDMs and Omnipod 5 Controllers, which are manufactured for us by a third-party.
In addition, the FDA may change its clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations, revise existing regulations, or take other actions that may prevent or delay approval or clearance of our products under development or impact our ability to modify our currently approved or cleared products on a timely basis. The FDA is in the process of reviewing the 510(k) approval process and criteria and has announced initiatives to improve the current pre- and post-market regulatory processes and requirements associated with infusion pumps and other home use medical devices. As part of this effort, the FDA is reviewing the adverse event reporting and recall processes for insulin pumps. Any change in the laws or regulations that govern the clearance and approval processes relating to our current and future products could make it more difficult and costly to obtain clearance or approval for new products, or to produce, market, and distribute existing products.
The Omnipod System is also sold in Canada, Australia and certain countries in Europe and the Middle East. As a result, we are required to comply with additional foreign regulatory requirements. As we expand our sales efforts internationally, we may need to obtain additional foreign approval certifications. Failure to fulfill foreign regulatory requirements on a timely basis or at all could adversely affect our ability to grow our business.
If we, our contract manufacturer or our component suppliers fail to comply with the FDA’s quality system regulations, the manufacturing and distribution of our devices could be interrupted, and our sales and operating results could suffer.
We and our contract manufacturers’ are required to comply with the FDA’s QSR, which is a complex regulatory framework that covers the procedures and documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, sterilization, labeling, packaging, storage, shipping, and servicing of our devices. Compliance with applicable regulatory requirements is subject to continual review and is monitored rigorously through periodic, sometimes unannounced, inspections by the FDA. We cannot assure you that our facilities or our contract manufacturers’ facilities would pass any future quality system inspection. If our or our contract manufacturers’ facilities fails a quality system inspection, the manufacturing or distribution of our devices could be interrupted, and our operations disrupted. Failure to take adequate and timely corrective action in response to an adverse quality system inspection could force a suspension or shutdown of our labeling operations or the manufacturing operations of our contract manufacturer, or a recall of our devices.
If we, or our contract manufacturer, fail to adhere to QSR requirements, this could delay production of our products and lead to fines, difficulties in obtaining regulatory clearances, recalls, enforcement actions, including injunctive relief or consent decrees, or other consequences, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
Malfunction of our products could lead to recalls or safety alerts and have a significant adverse impact on us.
The FDA and similar governmental bodies in other countries have the authority to require the recall of our products if we or our contract manufacturer fails to comply with relevant regulations pertaining to manufacturing practices, labeling, advertising or promotional activities, or if new information is obtained concerning the safety or efficacy of these products. A government-mandated recall could occur if the FDA finds that there is a reasonable probability that the device would cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. A voluntary recall by us could occur as a result of any material deficiency in a device, such as manufacturing defects, labeling deficiencies, packaging defects, or other failures to comply with applicable regulations. Adverse events involving our products have been reported to us in the past, and we cannot guarantee that they will not occur in the future. Any corrective action, whether voluntary, such as our voluntary MDCs issued in October and November 2022, or involuntary, may require the dedication of our time and capital, could distract management from operating our business and potentially harm our reputation and financial results.
In the event of a recall, we may also be subject to liability claims, be required to bear other costs, or take other actions that may have a negative impact on our future sales and our ability to generate profits. Companies are required to maintain certain records of recalls, even if they are not reportable to the FDA. We may initiate voluntary recalls involving our products in the future that we determine do not require notification to the FDA. If the FDA disagrees with our determinations, it could require us to report those actions as recalls. In addition, the FDA could take enforcement action for failing to report the recalls when they were conducted.
We may be subject to enforcement action if we engage in improper marketing or promotion of our products.
Our promotional materials and training methods must comply with FDA and other applicable laws and regulations, including the prohibition of the promotion of unapproved, or off-label, use. Doctors may prescribe our products off-label, as the FDA does not restrict or regulate a doctor’s choice of treatment within the practice of medicine. However, if the FDA determines that our promotional materials or training constitutes promotion of an off-label use, it could request that we modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance of an untitled letter, a warning
letter, injunction, seizure, civil fine, or criminal penalties. It is also possible that other federal, state, or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our promotional or training materials to constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. In that event, our reputation could be damaged, and adoption of the products could be impaired. Although our policy is to refrain from statements that could be considered off-label promotion of our products, the FDA or another regulatory agency could disagree with our characterization of certain statements and conclude that we have engaged in off-label promotion. In addition, the off-label use of our products may increase the risk of product liability claims. Product liability claims are expensive to defend and could divert management’s attention, result in substantial damage awards against us, and harm our reputation.
If we were found to be noncompliant with state DME licensure rules, we could lose our licensure in that state, which could prohibit us from selling our current or future products directly to consumers in that state.
Several states require that DME providers be licensed in order to sell products to customers in that state. Certain of these states require, among other things, that DME providers maintain an in-state location. Although we believe we are in compliance with all applicable state regulations regarding licensure requirements, if we were found to be noncompliant, we could lose our licensure in that state, which could prohibit us from selling our current or future products directly to consumers in that state.
If we fail to comply with Medicare, Medicaid, fraud and abuse, and other healthcare regulations, we could be subject to substantial penalties and/or be excluded from participation in government programs.
Our relationships with customers and third-party payors are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain our sales, marketing, and other promotional activities by limiting the kinds of financial arrangements, including sales programs and certain customer and product support programs, we may have with hospitals, physicians, customers, or other potential purchasers of medical devices. These laws include, among others, the federal healthcare Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal civil False Claims Act, other federal healthcare false statement and fraud statutes, the Open Payments program, the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, and analogous fraud and abuse and transparency laws in most states, as described in “Item 1—Business—Government Regulation”.
We conduct various marketing and product training activities that involve making payments to healthcare providers and entities. While we believe and make every effort to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties and other activities and programs comply with all applicable laws, these laws are complex and our activities may be found not to be compliant with one of these laws, which may result in significant civil, criminal, and/or administrative penalties, fines, damages, and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs. Even an unsuccessful challenge or investigation into our practices could cause adverse publicity, and be costly to respond to, and thus could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our compliance with Medicare and Medicaid regulations may be reviewed by federal or state agencies, including the OIG, CMS, and the Department of Justice, or may be subject to whistleblower lawsuits under federal and state false claims laws. To ensure compliance with Medicare, Medicaid, and other regulations, government agencies conduct periodic audits of us to ensure compliance with various supplier standards and billing requirements.
Risks Related to Privacy and Security
We are subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection, many of which are subject to change and uncertain interpretation, which could result in claims, changes to our business practices, monetary penalties, increased cost of operations, or declines in user growth or engagement, or otherwise harm our business.
We are subject to a variety of laws and regulations relating to privacy and data protection, data security, data retention and deletion, personal information, electronic contracts, and other communications. The introduction of new products or expansion of our activities in certain jurisdictions may subject us to additional laws and regulations. For example, data privacy laws at the federal and state levels protect the confidentiality of certain health information and restrict the use and disclosure of that protected information. In particular, the U.S. privacy rules under HIPAA protect medical records and other personal health information by limiting their use and disclosure, giving individuals the right to access, amend, and seek accounting of their own health information, and limiting most use and disclosures of health information to the minimum amount reasonably necessary to accomplish the intended purpose. In California, the CCPA, which provides certain privacy rights and consumer protection for residents of the state became effective in 2020, and the CPRA, which amends and expands the CCPA, will take effect in 2023. These consumer rights include the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to know whether the data is sold or disclosed and to whom, the right to request a company to delete the personal information collected, the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information, and the right to non-discrimination in terms of price or service when a consumer exercises a privacy right. Colorado and Virginia have enacted similar privacy laws that will also take effect in 2023. California and other states’ laws apply more broadly and now or in the future may reach data we hold that relates to employees and healthcare providers, not just customers. In addition, data security protection laws passed by the federal government and many states
require notification to data subjects, including customers and others, when there is a security breach of personal data. If we fail to comply with these regulations, we could be subject to civil sanctions, including fines and penalties for noncompliance.
In addition, foreign data protection, privacy, and other laws and regulations can be more restrictive than those in the United States. Data localization laws in some countries generally mandate that certain types of data collected in a particular country be stored and/or processed within that country. We could be subject to audits in Europe and around the world, particularly in the areas of consumer and data protection, as we continue to grow and expand our operations. Legislators and regulators may make legal and regulatory changes, or interpret and apply existing laws, in ways that make our products less useful to users, require us to incur substantial costs, expose us to unanticipated civil or criminal liability, or cause us to change our business practices. These changes or increased costs could negatively impact our business and results of operations in material ways. For example, the GDPR imposes requirements in the European Economic Area relating to, among other things, consent to process personal data of individuals, the information provided to individuals regarding the processing of their personal data, the security and confidentiality of personal data, notifications in the event of data breaches, and use of third-party processors. If we fail to comply with these standards, we could be subject to criminal penalties and civil sanctions, including significant fines and penalties.
The increased scope of regulation around the world may require expanded compliance programs and resources. As our efforts to gain insights from data increase for the operation of our products and services and for the improvement of business processes, including sales and marketing, our exposure to increasingly complex privacy regulation may impede our ability to use data in this way.
We rely on the proper function, availability, and security of our product and information technology systems and a successful cyber-attack or other breach or disruption of our product or these systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We rely on information technology systems to process, transmit, and store electronic information in our day-to-day operations. The nature of our business involves the receipt and storage of personal and financial information regarding our customers, including sensitive medical information. We use our information technology systems to manage or support a variety of business processes and activities, including sales, shipping, billing, customer service, procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, and accounts payable. In addition, we use enterprise information technology systems to record, process, and summarize transactions and other financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with financial reporting, legal, and tax regulatory requirements. Many of our information systems are cloud-hosted and managed by third-party vendors, some of which may have access to confidential business, employee, healthcare professional, and/or customer information. Our information technology systems may be susceptible to damage, disruptions, or shutdowns due to computer viruses, attacks by computer hackers, failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components thereof, power outages, hardware failures, telecommunication failures, user errors, or catastrophic events. Any failure by us to maintain or protect our information technology systems and data integrity, including from cyber-attacks, intrusions, disruptions, or shutdowns, could result in the unauthorized access to customer data and personally identifiable information, theft of intellectual property or other misappropriation of assets or the loss of key data and information, or otherwise compromise our confidential or proprietary information and disrupt our operations.
Additionally, the FDA has warned that insulin pumps may have cybersecurity vulnerabilities and could be manipulated by hackers, causing danger to people with diabetes. After extensive testing and research in conjunction with an independent third-party firm, a potential security vulnerability in the Omnipod was identified. (This vulnerability does not exist in Omnipod DASH or Omnipod 5.) Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to gain access to the Pod to intercept, modify, or interfere with the wireless radio frequency communications to or from the PDM. This may allow attackers to read sensitive data, change pump settings, or control insulin delivery.
Insulet is aware of a specific group of people with diabetes who have been able to duplicate the Pod communication protocol using a smartphone and a bridge, which in turn allows the Pod to be controlled using an unauthorized device. This practice is commonly referred to as Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and is not the intended use for the Omnipod System. Insulet has not provided the DIY community with any type of information or input on the product, nor has Insulet been provided with any information proving that this form of off-label use is a safe use of the system. This practice does not exist with Omnipod 5.
If our product is breached or our information technology systems are breached or suffer severe damage, disruption, or shutdown and we are unable to effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, our reputation, business, and operating results may be materially adversely affected.
Failure to maintain the privacy and security of our customer, third-party payor, employee, supplier, or Company information could result in substantial costs and/or subject us to litigation, enforcement actions, and reputational damage.
Our business, like that of most medical device manufacturers, involves the receipt, storage, and transmission of customer information and payment and reimbursement information, as well as confidential information about third-party payors, our employees, our suppliers, and our Company. Our information systems are vulnerable to an increasing threat of continually evolving cybersecurity risks. Unauthorized parties may attempt to gain access to our systems or information through fraud or other means of deceiving our employees or third-party service providers. Hardware, software, or applications we develop or obtain from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information and device security. The methods used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems are also constantly changing and evolving, and may be difficult to anticipate or detect for long periods of time. We have implemented and regularly review and update processes and procedures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of secured data and to prevent data loss. However, the ever-evolving threats mean we must continually evaluate and adapt our systems and processes, and our efforts may not be adequate to safeguard against all data security breaches, misuse of data, or sabotage of our systems. We recently experienced a data security incident impacting a subset of our customers in which the impacted customer’s IP address, and whether the customer was a Omnipod DASH user and has a PDM, were inadvertently shared with website performance and marketing partners of Insulet through website “cookies” and other trackers. These trackers have since been disabled, and no financial information, social security numbers, email addresses, or passwords were exposed. All affected customers and relevant authorities were notified, and we did not view this as a material event. Any future significant compromise or breach of our data security, whether external or internal, or misuse of customer, third-party payor, employee, supplier, or Company data, could result in significant costs, lost sales, fines, lawsuits, and damage to our reputation. In addition, as the regulatory environment related to information security, data collection and use, and privacy becomes increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, compliance with those requirements could also result in additional costs.
Risks Related to Our Debt
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to service our debt, which is substantial.
As of December 31, 2022, we had debt of $1.4 billion, including $800 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Senior Notes, which mature in 2026. Our ability to make scheduled payments or to refinance the Convertible Senior Notes or other debt obligations depends on our financial and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, and other factors beyond our control. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund these obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets or operations, seek additional capital, or restructure or refinance our indebtedness, including the outstanding Convertible Senior Notes. We cannot assure you that we would be able to take any of these actions, that these actions would permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations, or that these actions would be permitted under the terms of our future debt agreements. If we do not generate sufficient cash flow from operations, and additional borrowings, refinancings, or proceeds from asset sales are not available to us, we may not have sufficient cash to enable us to meet all of our obligations.
Our Credit Agreement imposes restrictions on us that may adversely affect our ability to operate our business.
Our Credit Agreement contains covenants that restrict our ability, and that of our subsidiaries, to engage in certain transactions, including, among other things, limitations on our ability to incur additional indebtedness, make asset dispositions, create or permit liens, sell, transfer or exchange assets, guarantee certain indebtedness, and make acquisitions or other investments. These restrictions may impair our ability to respond to changing business and economic conditions and may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions.
Conversion of any of our Convertible Senior Notes may dilute the ownership interest of existing stockholders or depress our stock price.
The conversion of some or all our Convertible Senior Notes may dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. Any sales in the public market of any of our common stock issuable upon such conversion could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock. In addition, conversion of the Convertible Senior Notes could depress the price of our common stock.
Our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards may be subject to limitation.
Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code imposes an annual limit on the amount of net operating loss carryforwards that may be used to offset taxable income when a corporation has undergone significant changes in its stock ownership or equity structure. Our ability to use net operating losses may be limited by prior changes in our ownership and may be further limited by the issuance of common stock in connection with the conversion of our Convertible Senior Notes, or by the consummation
of other transactions. As a result, our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards to offset U.S. federal taxable income may become subject to limitations.
General Risks
Our success depends on our ability to attract, motivate, and retain key personnel.
Our success depends on our ability to retain our employees and to attract and retain additional qualified personnel in the future. We face intense competition for employees, particularly in light of recent labor shortages and as people are increasingly able to work remotely. We face challenges in maintaining employee well-being, recognizing that the additional financial, family, and health burdens that many employees may be experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic uncertainties may adversely impact job performance and employee retention. Losing members of our senior management, and other highly skilled personnel could prevent or delay the implementation and completion of our objectives or divert management’s attention to seeking qualified replacements and ensuring seamless transitions. Additionally, the sale and after-sale support of the Omnipod System is logistically complex, requiring us to maintain an extensive infrastructure of field sales personnel, diabetes educators, customer support, insurance specialists, and billing and collections personnel. We face considerable challenges in recruiting, training, managing, motivating, and retaining these employees, including managing geographically dispersed teams. If we fail to maintain and grow an adequate pool of trained and motivated personnel, our reputation could suffer, and our financial position could be adversely affected.
Acquisitions or investments in new businesses, products, or technologies could disrupt our business.
If we are presented with appropriate opportunities, we may pursue acquisitions or investments in complementary businesses, products, or technologies. For example, in 2022, we acquired one of our suppliers. Additionally, in December 2022 and February 2023, we acquired intangible assets from Automated Glucose Control LLC (“AGC”) and Bigfoot, which provided us important intellectual property. We may not complete transactions in a timely manner, on a cost-effective basis, or at all, and we may not realize the expected benefits of any acquisition or investment. Even if we are successful in making an acquisition, the products and technologies that we acquire may not be successful or may require significantly greater resources and investments than we originally anticipated. We could also experience negative effects on our results of operations and financial condition from acquisition-related charges, amortization of intangible assets, and asset impairment charges if the acquisitions are not as successful as we originally anticipate. Acquisitions also present risks, uncertainties, and disruptions associated with the integration process, including difficulties in the integration of the operations of any acquired company, integration of acquired technology with our products, and the potential loss of key employees, customers, distributors, or suppliers of the acquired businesses. In addition, integration of an acquired business may require management resources that otherwise would be available for development of our existing business. If an acquired business fails to operate as anticipated or cannot be successfully integrated into our existing business, our stock price, business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may have to incur debt or issue equity to pay for any future acquisitions or investments, the issuance of which could be dilutive to our existing stockholders.
We may need to raise additional funds in the future, and these funds may not be available on acceptable terms or at all.
Our capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:
•revenue generated by sales of our current products and any other future products that we may develop;
•costs associated with capital expenditures, including adding additional manufacturing capacity;
•costs associated with any expansion, including expanding our sales and marketing efforts globally;
•expenses we incur in manufacturing and selling our products;
•costs of developing new products or technologies and enhancements to our products;
•costs of complying with regulatory requirements, including obtaining and maintaining FDA approval or clearance of our current or future products;
•costs associated with litigation; and
•the number and timing of any acquisitions or other strategic transactions.
We may in the future seek additional funds from public and private stock or debt offerings, borrowings under credit lines, or other sources, and we may need to raise additional debt or equity financing to repay our outstanding Senior Convertible Notes or other debt obligations. If we issue equity or debt securities to raise additional funds, our existing stockholders may experience dilution, and the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences, and privileges senior to those of our existing stockholders. In addition, if we raise additional funds through collaboration, licensing, or other similar arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish valuable rights to our potential future products or proprietary technologies or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us.
Our ability to raise additional capital may be adversely impacted by current economic conditions, including inflation and worldwide political unrest, and we may not be able to raise any necessary capital on acceptable terms, or at all.
If we are unable to raise additional capital due to these or other factors, we may need to further manage our operational expenses, including potentially curtailing planned product development activities. In addition, we may not be able to execute our business plan, take advantage of future opportunities, or respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated customer requirements. If any of these events occur, it could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The price of our common stock may be volatile.
The market price of our common stock is affected by a number of factors, including factors related to our operating performance as a high-growth company and the operating performance of our competitors. At times, the fluctuations in the market price of our common stock have been unrelated or disproportionate to our operating performance. In particular, the U.S. equity markets have at times experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market prices of equity securities of many medical device and technology companies. Broad market and industry factors such as these could materially and adversely affect the market price of our stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.